Obba Babatundé
Known for: Acting
Obba Babatundé (born December 1, 1951) is an American actor of stage and screen, known for his Emmy-nominated performance in the television movie Miss Evers' Boys, a NAACP Image Award-nominated performance in the TV movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, and a Tony Award-nominated role for his performance as C.C. White in the original cast of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Babatundé was a protege of Sammy Davis, Jr., who said of him, "This is the only cat who can do everything I can do." Babatundé does dance, sing, play instruments, execute impersonations, including his portrayal of Davis, aided by their similarity in energy, size and talent, tap dancing and performing on multiple instruments. In fall 2009, Babatundé played Davis in the title role of "Sammy: Once in a Lifetime," a world premiere musical at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. Early in 2000, Babatundé partnered with writer/producer Ruth Adkins Robinson for a series of TV projects including "TV in Black: The First 50 Years," "Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Hallie" and "Dorthy Dandridge: An American Beauty". The pair have projects that will take them through 2011. His TV roles have often portrayed authority figures, such as a recurring guest-starring role as a high school principal on Dawson's Creek, an appearance as a judge in a two-part episode of Any Day Now, and as the father of the main characters on Half & Half. He also played Harvard college Dean Cain in the movie How High, as well as the role of Willie Long in the movie Life, and co-starred as an attorney in Philadelphia and as a senator in the 2004 reprise of The Manchurian Candidate. He also played the director in season 3 of Friends in an episode titled "The One with All the Jealousy". Other TV shows he has had recurring roles on include The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Chicago Hope, Rocket Power, Static Shock, and Karen Sisco. He played a small but pivotal role as a doorman/bellhop in the film That Thing You Do! and also appeared in The Wild Thornberrys Movie as the voice of Boko. He played a famous producer known as Gordy Berry on two episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In the 1998 miniseries, The Temptations, he played the founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy. Babatundé is adept at American sign language and had used this talent in many roles including on one NYPD Blue. His recorded work includes a performance with the New York pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs on the 2007 album Sack Full of Dreams. The actor/producer is also an avid horseman and is a highly regarded rider and trainer in the Rodeo Circuit, including the annual Bill Pickett Rodeol. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Filmography
Series
Grey's Anatomy
Dan Gates
2005
Series
NCIS
Joe Banks
2003
Series
Friends
Director
1994
Series
S.W.A.T.
Daniel Harrelson, Sr.
2017
Series
Chicago Med
Dr. James Coleman
2015
Series
Chicago Hope
Charles Ellis
1994
Series
Psych
David Gaffney
2006
Series
Everwood
Jason
2002
Series
Boston Legal
Dr. Victor Rivers
2004
Series
Goliath
Ivan Tillinger
2016
Series
Madam Secretary
President Silvanus Fabre
2014
Series
Dawson's Creek
Howard Green
1998
Series
Private Practice
Dr. Larry Cannon
2007
Film
The Notebook
Band Leader
2004
Series
The Good Fight
Danny Quinn
2017
Series
Girlfriends
Attendant
2000
Series
Sliders
Cezanne Brown
1995
Series
Touched by an Angel
Carter Evans
1994
Series
Matlock
Backstage Man
1986
Series
Tales from the Crypt
Lieutenant Jamison
1989
Series
Ballers
J.D. Pritchard
2015
Series
The Outer Limits
Dr. Joseph Lennox
1995
Series
A Different World
Frank Benning
1987
Series
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Gordy Berry
1990
Series
Saving Grace
Doc
2007
Series
Static Shock
Watch Store Salesman (voice)
2000
Series
Static Shock
Singer (voice)
2000
Series
Family Law
Philip Hamilton
1999
Series
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
Mongoose
1993
Series
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Jameson Walker
1992
Series
Kingdom
Detective Gaines
2014
Series
Little Fires Everywhere
George Wright
2020
Series
For the People
Philip Kaws
2018
Series
Dear White People
Dean Fairbanks
2017
Film
Philadelphia
Jerome Green
1993
Film
John Q
Sgt. Moody
2002
Film
After the Sunset
Zacharias
2004
Series
Detroiters
Mr. Duvet
2017
Film
The Silence of the Lambs
TV Anchor Man
1991
Film
How High
Dean Carl Cain
2001
Film
That Thing You Do!
Lamarr
1996
Film
The Manchurian Candidate
Senator Wells
2004
Series
Enlisted
General Murray
2014
Film
City of Lies
Chief of Police
2018
Film
The Eye
Dr. Haskins
2008
Film
The Net
FBI Agent
1995
Series
Forever
Gregory
2018
Series
Max Steel
(voice)
2000
Film
Life
Willie Long
1999
Film
The Wild Thornberrys Movie
Boko (voice)
2002
Series
The Temptations
Berry Gordy
1998
Film
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups
Mayor Denny
2012
Film
Married to the Mob
The Face of Justice
1988
Film
All Star Superman
Judge / Bibliobot (voice)
2011
Series
Spy Game
Lieutenant Wardell
1997
Film
Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire
Vampire Actor #4 (voice)
2012
Film
Multiplicity
Paul
1996
Film
Material Girls
Craig
2006
Film
Black Dynamite
Osiris
2009
Film
Lap Dance
Roscoe
2014
Film
Jingle Belle
Charles Williams
2018
Film
Necronomicon
Paul
1993
Film
The Celestine Prophecy
Miguel
2006
Film
Miami Blues
Blink Willie
1990
Film
Run
President
2025
Film
Miss Evers' Boys
Willie Johnson
1997
The Human Factor
1992
Film
Born to Be Wild
Interpreter
1995
Film
Undercover Blues
Sawyer
1993
Film
'Til Death Do Us Part
John Harris
2017
Film
The Cherokee Kid
Isom Dart
1996
Film
Revival!
Nicodemus
2018
Film
Pup Star: Better 2Gether
Big Ears (voice)
2017
Film
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
Harold Nicholas
1999
Film
Kangaroo Jack: G'Day, U.S.A.!
Chief Ankamuti (voice)
2004
Film
Leonard Part 6
Bongo Drummer
1987
Film
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self
2004
Film
The Millennial
Mr. Burke
2022
Film
Pup Star
Big Ears (voice)
2016
Film
Cover
Attorney Miller
2007
Film
Carpool
Jeffery
1996
Film
Redeemer
Charles Henderson
2002
Film
M.A.N.T.I.S.
Cornell
1994
Film
Kinky
Mr. Bernard
2018
Film
Love the Skin You're In
Arnold
2025
Film
The Visit
Tony
2001
Film
The Watcher
Stark
2016
Film
The Christmas Showdown
Jesse
2025
Film
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History
Self
2008
Film
Trapped: Haitian Nights
Ikliff
2011
Film
Dolls of Voodoo
Iklif
2013
Film
King: Man of Peace in a Time of War
Narrator
2007
Film
Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty
Host
2003
Film
All The Men In My Life
Simon Helms
2022
Film
The Apartment Complex
Chett
1999
Film
The Trap Door
Mesmer
2011
Film
Soul of the Game
Cum Posey
1996
Film
The Last Fall
Larry Armstrong
2012
Film
Treemonisha
Zodzetrick
1982
Film
The Tomorrow Man
Brian Parish
1996
Film
Death's Door
Mesmer
2015
Film
Fatal Pursuit
Trinidad
1995
Start Without Me
Leo
Film
If I Tell You I Have to Kill You
Jonathan Black
2015
Film
American Bad Boy
Pastor Lovely
2015
Film
The Importance of Being Earnest
Lane
1992
Film
A Reason to Believe
Prof. Thurman
1995
Film
Noble Intentions
Pastor Stevens
2023
Film
An Evening with Liza Minnelli
Self - Dancer
1980
Film
Kiss Me for Christmas
Mr. Porter
2020
Film
Wrong Place, Wrong Time
Captain Green
2025
Film
Trigger
Chief Keaton
2020
Film
I Do... I Did!
Mr. Johnson
2009
Film
God Bless the Child
Raymond Watkins
1988
Film
Why Am I Doing This?
Cliff
2009
Film
Baryshnikov on Broadway
Dancer
1980
Film
One Special Moment
2001
Film
Joy Road
Dr. Howard Perkins
2011
People Not Places
Film
Mississippi Scholar
Reginald
2024
Film
April Fools
Detective Combs
2007